The Choice (a Painful Past)

136

I was still kind of amazed that I hadn't realized how bad I had been sweating while we were inside the jail. Usually, I was very aware of something like that. I couldn't stand to be hot.

"Hey, do we need to move our car?!" Colby called from the back of the group, just before we stepped out of the trees. "It's around on the other side of the jail."

I stopped and waited for the group to stop with me. "It's up to you guys." I replied. "The building is just over there." I pointed towards the building that we were headed to.

Sam and Colby spoke quietly for a moment, then looked back at me.

Two pairs of gorgeous blue eyes trained on me. They could really mess someone's heart up, if they weren't careful.

"Okay, I'm gonna go get the car, while Sam walks with you guys." Colby said.

I nodded and watched him jog off. This entire night was just surreal. First, my best friend from another life shows up, then we actually get paranormal activity, and now Sam and Colby were going to attend my kid's XPLR themed birthday dance party.

What the fuck was happening? I was convinced that I was dreaming and that I would wake up, still anticipating the party, because there was just no way that this was real.

Sam kept up a steady conversation with Ben and the other kids, while Denise made her way up to walk next to me.

"So," She said, bumping me with her shoulder, as we were walking. "Colby is pretty hot."

I smiled, unable to help myself. "He definitely grew into himself." I replied.

"Oh, what is that look?" She whispered, nudging me again. "Me thinks you like him. Like, like like him. You may even loooove him."

I rolled my eyes and felt my face flush. "I do love him, you dork. He's my best friend." I replied.

"Ugh, I'm hurt! I thought I was your best friend!" She said, acting shocked.

I laughed and nudged her back.

"You are! But, he was my best friend when I had no one. Before I knew you. Ours was a complicated friendship."

"You've told me a little about it." She said, with a nod. "I would like to hear the rest though. When you're ready to talk about it."

"Yeah, of course." I replied, as I opened the door to the building. "Just remind me. You know my memory is shit."

We stepped back to let everyone else through the door first.

Just as I was about to go inside and close the door behind me, a sleek black car pulled up and parked behind my much older, dented car. It almost made me ashamed of what I had let my life become.

I watched, as he unfolded his lean body from the car and walked towards me, with one of those gorgeous smiles on his face.

"Aw, Cal, you didn't have to hold the door for me." He teased, when he ducked past me, into the building.

"Ha, you're not that famous, Brock." I laughed.

"Oh, she's being ruthless now." He cracked.

"Nah, I haven't even started yet." I quipped back.

After everyone had something to eat from the homemade taco bar that I had set up, we moved on to the Happy Birthday song and cake and ice cream. Ben's face was lit up, with a smile even more gorgeous than Colby's. My heart almost burst with love for that kid.

He opened all of his gifts and yelled when he opened his new phone.

"Thanks, Mom!" He exclaimed, as he ran over and wrapped his arms around me.

It wasn't like when he was 8, a shy, unsure kid that I was just taking care of. His head had only come up to below my chest then. Now, he was tall enough for me to wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in the crook of his neck.

"You're very welcome, sweetie. I'm sorry that I couldn't get you the game system." I whispered.

He pulled back and shrugged with one shoulder.

"It's fine. I love my phone, but I love this party even more. Mom, you got Sam and Colby to come to my party! I actually got to ghost hunt WITH THE SAM AND COLBY! This has been my best birthday ever. I don't know how you're gonna outdo it next year."

I laughed, when he winked at me. "Oh really? I have to outdo myself next year?"

"You do every year, so I expect great things." He responded.

"The kid is smart." Colby said, as he and Sam walked over to us.

Sam was carrying a medium sized, wrapped gift box in his hands.

"Hey, don't forget about this gift. It's from Colby and me." Sam said, as he handed the box to Ben. "Don't drop it."

Ben cocked his eyebrow and set it down on the table next to us, before he started ripping the paper off. "OH MY GOD! REALLY? IT'S MINE!?" He yelled.

I couldn't believe my eyes. It was the exact game system that my kid wanted. Complete with added memory, two controllers, and two games.

"Yeah, we weren't sure what kind of games you were into, so we asked Denise." Colby replied.

I noticed that the games were definitely the top two that had been on his list.

"Thank you, guys, so much!" He gushed, without raising his head.

For a moment, I felt put out, simply because I hadn't been able to get him this amazing gift. Then, I realized that it didn't matter. It didn't matter who got it for him.

It only mattered that this was a birthday that he would never forget. That was the best gift that I could've ever gotten, and Sam and Colby had made that happen for me. Not from the gift, but just by being here.

"Best birthday ever." Ben murmured, as he looked up and met my eyes.

His blue eyes sparkled with happiness and excitement.

"No, we aren't going home, just so you can play the game." I laughed. "We still have a lot of partying to do."

He grinned. "I know, Mama. It can wait." He turned towards his friends, who were still eating their cake. "Guys, come check this out!"

I moved away from the table, so that he could enjoy showing his friends his gift, without his mom hovering over them.

Since everyone was finished eating, I started clearing up the food, keeping what I could, and throwing away the rest.

"Hey, you okay?" Colby asked, jolting me a little when he walked up beside me.

Sam didn't say anything, but he started helping me clean up.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I replied.

I turned towards him and leaned back on the counter.

"It was really sweet of you guys to get him the game, but you didn't have to do that. Just you being here was enough. The game and everything you got with it, that was too much."

Sam paused after he slid the lid onto one of my food storage containers, and looked over at me. "It was nothing. We wanted to. You know I've been talking to Ben for a while now. He's an awesome kid. I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, and you know what he told me?"

I shook my head. "No, what?"